In the Dark of the Night
by Gandalf3213
Summary: Aang asks Sokka a question about his boomerang that brings up new mysteries about Sokka's past and the real meaning behind the word warrior
1. The Tip of the Iceberg

**I don't own Avatar.**

Aang sat by the fire, looking through its red depths to the other side. Across from him, Katara was mending a shirt of his which he had ripped in their fight against the swamp. Behind her, Sokka stood silently, looking up at the sky and carefully fingering his boomerang.

"Why do you do that?" Aang asked suddenly. Sokka turned abruptly, startled by the noise. When he realized who spoke, however, he asked. "Do what?"

Aang breathed out impatiently. "Play with your boomerang. You do that a lot. Especially when you look at the sky."

Katara looked up and gave Aang a stay-out-of-it look. Sokka sighed and continued sub-consciously fingering the weapon.

"Dad gave it to me." He said quietly. "He wanted me to be a warrior, like him. I wanted to be one too, but-" Sokka stopped suddenly and turned around again.

Katara sighed. "Sokka used to Waterbend. Did you know that?" Aang shook his head, feeling sorry he had ever brought up the subject. He could feel a sad story coming on.

"He was one of the best Waterbenders in the village. He taught me most of what I know." Katara flashed Sokka a loving smile. "He didn't want to give it up."

Aang was confused. "Then what happened? I don't get it. If Sokka liked it, then what's the problem?"

"The problem is you can't be both a Waterbender and a warrior. They both require discipline, and time." Sokka said this quietly, surprising Aang by not going into one of his almost constant rages. "We needed a warrior in the village-badly. Dad and the other men had to leave for the war. Dad gave me this just before he left."

Katara smiled. "What were his words again?"

Sokka smiled too, but his was sad. "he said "Sokka, you have to be a man now. Don't let anything happen to your sister or your mother. I'm counting on you to accept this responsibility." Then he left. Just like that."

The group was quiet for a few moments, no one daring to say anything lest it offended somebody else. Surprisingly, it was Sokka who broke the silence. "I didn't do a good job of that, did I? Mom died three months later and you-" here Sokka nodded at his little sister. "You have been in more dangerous situations then I care to count."

Katara bowed her head, tears welling up in her eyes as they did at any mention of her mother.

Aang was still looking at Sokka perplexedly. "I don't get it. Why did you give up Waterbending? And why didn't you tell me? You could have helped me learn!"

Sokka sat down next to Aang and put his arm around him, the closest he had ever come to behaving brotherly towards the young Avatar. "I don't need anymore responsibilities, Aang. To help you would give me more."

Suddenly, Sokka stood up. "I must sound so selfish, talking about myself all night." His fingers were back at their old place on his boomerang, tapping it more energetically then usual.

Katara went back to her sewing, but not before saying softly. "You're not selfish, Sokka. A little stuck-up, a little clumsy, but never selfish. Not after what you gave up for me."

* * *

One more chapter will do it, I think. It won't be very long. This is just my explaination for who Sokka really is. 


	2. The Next Little Bit

**I don't own anything**

"Sokka, I'm sorry if I upset you."

Aang waited, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He really hoped that Sokka would accept his apology. He didn't like being left in the cold like this.

Sokka didn't reply. He picked up his boomerang and started off across the large field, heading towards Appa. This gave Aang an idea. A great prank. Maybe then he'd get answers.

Aang conjured up a small ball of air between his hands and gently coaxed it in Sokka's direction. He carefully maneuvered it until-

"HEY!"

Sokka's boomerang flew out of his hands and drifted across the field propelled on a "mysterious" gust of wind.

"What's wrong?" Katara's head poked out of the tent, then seeing her brother's plight, bolted out of the tent, pulling her shirt over her head as she ran towards Sokka, shouting over her shoulder to Aang, "Bring it down. Hurry!"

Aang smiled in the way only a twelve-year-old prankster could and brought down the weapon.

It landed right in his hands.

He waited until the siblings had jogged across the field to him to start speaking. "Okay, so I caught the boomerang. Does that mean I get to ask a question? Or maybe repeat one?"

Katara frowned. "What are you talking about, Aang? Just give Sokka back his boomerang!"

Aang flipped the blade lazily through the air. "You see, Sokka never answered my question from last night."

The infamous temper was back. "Just give me the boomerang, Aang! I don't care about your stupid questions!"

"Yeah, well, I do. So tell me why you like this boomerang so much. Straight answer, no dodging. And one more. Tell me about this Waterbending stuff."

Sokka was angry. "And why should I do that?"

Aang put on his best Little Boy face. "'Cause ya loovvee me."

Katara tried to stifle a laugh, but she didn't quite succeed. She received a "look" from Sokka.

"Fine. You want the story, I'll give you the story. I was ten. Dad gave me the boomerang. He left for the war. I have never seen him since." Sokka's voice started to loose its edge started to get quieter. "I don't know what happened to him. He could be dead. I have no idea. **I don't care, either."** Sokka spat the last words out with such venom that both Katara and Aang were taken aback, but they didn't dare speak to him. Sokka was to far for help.

"He abandoned us. He left a ten-year-old to take over the care of an entire tribe. He left me to take care of Katara." Sokka's voice was sad now. "You guys have no idea how hard it was-how hard it still is. Katara, when you fight, I can just hear dad's voice going 'Protect her, Sokka." Over and over again until I think it will drive me insane. And I can't."

Katara came over and put her arms around Sokka. She wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how. She had already known all these things, of course, but she hadn't heard them. Out loud.

Aang stood to one side, watching them and knowing it was his fault that they were so, for lack of a better word, sad.

But Sokka wasn't done yet. "I wish I could help you, Aang. You've become like a brother to me-" was that a wink? Hinting that he knew something? "But I can't. Last time I promised to do something, I lost my mother. I'm not losing anything else."

Aang nodded, thinking that he didn't deserve Sokka's regrets.

* * *

I know, the Waterbending thing. Wait. Patiance is a virtue. Review? 


	3. Waterbending

**I don't own Avatar, 'kay?**

Sokka loved flying. He loved the feeling of weightlessness that it gave him. He loved being able to see everything at once. He loved the air. He raised his arm and made a swirling motion, catching himself too late.

_Stupid, _he thought. _You haven't been able to bend for three years now, what makes you want to all the sudden?_

That was obvious. The conversations with Aang had gotten him into the mood. It made him remember.

_But I don't want to remember! _Sokka thought viciously.

_Yes, you do_. A voice in the back of his mind urged him. Almost unwillingly, Sokka went back. He remembered the day. The day that changed his life.

_It started out normally enough._ He recalled. _It was even warm enough for some fishing. That's what I was doing. Getting some knives and string for fishing._ Sokka yawned and stretched. If only flying didn't make him so tired!

Sokka's dream brought him back to the Water Tribe. He was standing next to the hole he had made for the fishing pole. He was looking in. Looking for fish. Maybe he'd Waterbend one out.

Then Katara went speeding past him, on the back of a penguin.

Sokka screamed for Katara to watch out. But she didn't hear him. She fell into the hole.

Sokka went down to his hands and knees. He searched the water desperately, knowing in his heart that he wouldn't find Katara. People pf the Water Tribe dressed in many layers to combat the cold weather. Those clothes were dead weight once they were wet.

Katara didn't stand a chance.

Sokka, who had never been religious, had an idea. Maybe-maybe if he asked the spirits to get Katara, they would. But they wouldn't do that for nothing.

_If you save Katara, you can have my power._ Sokka prayed. He searched the water for some sign that the spirits had heard him. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Then there she was. Katara was floating to the surface. Her face was pale, but she was still breathing. Gasping was a better word for it, but she was still _alive._

Sokka hugged his sister, knowing that her ten-year-old lungs wouldn't have been able to stand much longer down there. He was thanking the water spirit at the same time, for saving Katara.

But at the same time, he felt a sense of loss. Without even trying, he knew that Waterbending was gone. Replaced by an empty nothingness.

Sokka woke up, covered in sweat. He hated that dream. He hated remembering everything. He hated thinking how close he had been to losing his little sister.

He glanced over at her. He did that, every minute of every day. Just a small glance, to make sure she was still there. Still breathing. Still safe.

She was immersed in her sewing. She was currently trying to make all three of them a new set of clothes, as their old ones had become rather ragged. He smiled, knowing how much she loved to sew, one of the only talents she'd picked up from their mother before she'd died.

Then Sokka looked over at Aang. His new brother, in a way. The Avatar was "driving," which was Aang-speek for sitting-around-practicing-some-air-bending. Sokka smiled slightly when he saw Aang jump off Appa like a diver. He was always doing that.

Sokka leaned back and studied the clouds, thinking about the powers he had lost, and the mother that had died.

And the brother he had gained.

* * *

How'd you like it? Go on, tell me. I don't bite. 


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